festaedan
potamotrygon fan
That looks awesome Tony!
Aquastudent's 135g Aquarium
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jonclark96
Past CCA President
Looking good, Tony. I agree that the heaters would look better in a sump. Dual 300W heaters should be more than plenty to keep it warm. I have the same sized tank, and I actually unplugged my heater (a single 300W) about 2 weeks ago because the tank was too warm. The heat that is put out from my light in addition to what ever heat comes from the pumps on the tank (2 AC110s, 2 maxijet powerheads, and an eheim canister) is keeping the water constant at 76 degrees.
I'd also look into adding some plants or something to have more vertical sight breaks in the tank. When your fish are small, they will appreciate the hiding spaces. As they mature, it will help with any aggression.
I'd also look into adding some plants or something to have more vertical sight breaks in the tank. When your fish are small, they will appreciate the hiding spaces. As they mature, it will help with any aggression.
AquaStudent
CCA Members
The temperature is slowly dropping. We're down to 81.5. It's in the low 80s here so the water temperature won't be much lower (few degrees) so it's hard to get it to drop. I'm not sure how well calibrated the heaters are now. I'll probably unplug one for the summer but I want a second because sometimes the temperature does drop here (and I don't have central air so the windows are always open).
That's a good call on the plants. I was planning on moving in some vals from my 29g and an amazon sword but I also have some needle leaf java fern that may be a good addition too. I need to get the driftwood submerged and still. Perhaps I'll take another trip to the mall parking lot...
Tomorrow morning is my last lab so I'll have one more batch of labs to grade. I'll hopefully have some time to move the filters over and keep an eye on the bichir and make sure he takes the transition well. This is EXCITING!
The timing of this all is rather unfortunate. I am going to be ordering from batfish but they just had their open house preorder. I just missed it! Hopefully we can work something out for something relatively soon :/
I need to buy a stool
That's a good call on the plants. I was planning on moving in some vals from my 29g and an amazon sword but I also have some needle leaf java fern that may be a good addition too. I need to get the driftwood submerged and still. Perhaps I'll take another trip to the mall parking lot...
Tomorrow morning is my last lab so I'll have one more batch of labs to grade. I'll hopefully have some time to move the filters over and keep an eye on the bichir and make sure he takes the transition well. This is EXCITING!
The timing of this all is rather unfortunate. I am going to be ordering from batfish but they just had their open house preorder. I just missed it! Hopefully we can work something out for something relatively soon :/
I need to buy a stool
AquaStudent
CCA Members
Good news. I just got my order in with Josh over at Batfish. I believe that order will come in later this week and he'll have it shipped up to me. Looking forward to fully stocking the tank. I may diversify the genetics with fish from Wetspot but that's not necessary. It would be nice to grow out a larger stock and be able to pick from a larger group.
I'm all dressed up right now for traffic court (it's illegal in New York to even answer your phone to tell the person you're driving and will call them back in a bit. Oh well.
For all y'all's patience here's a FTS.
I added a large amazon sword from the 29g and a couple stems of some vals. I'd love to get the vals to spread across the back but it's very difficult to plant in a tank where I can't reach the substrate along the back wall! The roots on the Amazon Sword were massive too. It was a challenge getting them all to stay under the substrate.
If you have good eyesight you may be able to see a few of the first fish in the tank. They're a group of four Geophagus sp. Red Head Tapajos.
I'm all dressed up right now for traffic court (it's illegal in New York to even answer your phone to tell the person you're driving and will call them back in a bit. Oh well.
For all y'all's patience here's a FTS.
I added a large amazon sword from the 29g and a couple stems of some vals. I'd love to get the vals to spread across the back but it's very difficult to plant in a tank where I can't reach the substrate along the back wall! The roots on the Amazon Sword were massive too. It was a challenge getting them all to stay under the substrate.
If you have good eyesight you may be able to see a few of the first fish in the tank. They're a group of four Geophagus sp. Red Head Tapajos.
festaedan
potamotrygon fan
Awesome Tony!!! All of your hard work really payed off!
spazmattik
Members
looking really good man! let me know when that wood bogs down
AquaStudent
CCA Members
Thanks Dan! It's been a fun project so far!
Haha! I'm not going to check it for a couple months. It took my roommate and myself quite a bit of effort to get them to stay put. Almost knocked the glass a couple of times. The smallest piece is still floating. I tried pinning it under some of the wood we have stuck under the rocks but knocked the whole system out of balance. If I had surgeons hands I could get it in place but I'm not that qualified. I just knock everything out of the way. Brute force!
looking really good man! let me know when that wood bogs down
Haha! I'm not going to check it for a couple months. It took my roommate and myself quite a bit of effort to get them to stay put. Almost knocked the glass a couple of times. The smallest piece is still floating. I tried pinning it under some of the wood we have stuck under the rocks but knocked the whole system out of balance. If I had surgeons hands I could get it in place but I'm not that qualified. I just knock everything out of the way. Brute force!
spazmattik
Members
lol. I finally put a couple small pieces in one of my tanks tonight to test it. Hopefully the wood I found will be ok.
AquaStudent
CCA Members
I broke out the camera for the first time in a couple months. The tank is looking great. I have a few more fish coming in from Imperial Tropics that'll round out the stocking. Here are a couple FTS and highlights of some of the current inhabitants.
Scar - Polypterus senegalus
Angelfish!
Hershey - Hypselecara temporalis
Geophagus sp. 'Rio Tapajos'
Scar - Polypterus senegalus
Angelfish!
Hershey - Hypselecara temporalis
Geophagus sp. 'Rio Tapajos'
Acpape0
Members
AquaStudent
CCA Members
Well we have an interesting advancement. I came home after a seemingly endless day on campus and saw some strange objects on my back glass in the 135G. I've noticed the large chocolate cichlid (names Hershey) has been digging out the back area for a couple weeks. They must have spawned on Monday!
I have a 20L tank right now that's growing out some Yellow Labs but I could partition it and try and raise the fry. I'm currently planning on letting the parents raise them for a bit just to see how they do and to give them some experience. As long as they don't try to terrorize the tank I'm fine with it.
I like that they picked the back right corner because the entire tank shouldn't be claimed.
I have a 20L tank right now that's growing out some Yellow Labs but I could partition it and try and raise the fry. I'm currently planning on letting the parents raise them for a bit just to see how they do and to give them some experience. As long as they don't try to terrorize the tank I'm fine with it.
I like that they picked the back right corner because the entire tank shouldn't be claimed.
jonclark96
Past CCA President
Congrats on the spawn, but the eggs don't look fertile from the picture.
festaedan
potamotrygon fan
Congrats!
I agree, but in most cases when cichlids spawn once, if they are not seperated from the fish they bred with they will most likely spawn again so I wouldnt get discouraged if they turn out to be unfertilized
I agree, but in most cases when cichlids spawn once, if they are not seperated from the fish they bred with they will most likely spawn again so I wouldnt get discouraged if they turn out to be unfertilized
Kareen
Members
check this out thay have kits that come with everything you need for doing overflow http://www.glass-holes.com/main.sc?categoryId=1
AquaStudent
CCA Members
Thanks Jon and Dan. Which color generally corresponds to a fertilized egg? I've only breed Apistos and Labs. I don't strip the eggs from the lab females and I only saw the Apisto fry (another unexpected spawn) so I haven't seen any fertilized eggs.
I'm assuming they are not white.
Thanks Kareen. I'm not drilling the tank so I don't need an overflow.
If I end up doing a sump build this winter I'll make some PVC overflows.
festaedan
potamotrygon fan
White eggs normally means they are unfertilized
Fertilized eggs should be tanish. Once the fry are around a day or two from hatching you should start to see a little black dot in each egg.
AquaStudent
CCA Members
hmm. It's hard to tell. I'm biased so I can't say color. Here's a photo from today.
These photos were taken with my phone. I could technically break out the macro lens but that requires effort. Patience is the key to this hobby right?!?!
From what I read on a quick search the eggs hatch in 3-4 days. We will see what happens in a couple of days.
Either way they are defending the corner and it's fun behavior to watch. I love cichlid parents.
These photos were taken with my phone. I could technically break out the macro lens but that requires effort. Patience is the key to this hobby right?!?!
From what I read on a quick search the eggs hatch in 3-4 days. We will see what happens in a couple of days.
Either way they are defending the corner and it's fun behavior to watch. I love cichlid parents.
jonclark96
Past CCA President
Fertilized eggs should be tan or orange in my experience. White ones are not fertilized. It's hard to tell from the second picture. It may just be the contrast against the black background making them look white.
Good luck with them. If they are fertile, they should hatch in a day or two.
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Good luck with them. If they are fertile, they should hatch in a day or two.
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
AquaStudent
CCA Members
Just to give everyone an update there are no more eggs. I'm not sure whether mom or dad turned on them, if it was someone in the tank, or what. I just got back from campus and the mom is hanging out in the "nest" and has the "I'm stressed" colors going on. She doesn't look beat up so I'm happy about that but it also didn't look like she had the fry in her mouth.
Not sure if they would hatch and be free swimming in half a day but either way it looks like this spawn was unsuccessful.
Not sure if they would hatch and be free swimming in half a day but either way it looks like this spawn was unsuccessful.
AquaStudent
CCA Members
I returned to the apartment from Thanksgiving festivities last night and found that the Chocolates had spawned again. Not sure how long the eggs had been there but later in the evening I noticed quite a few of the other tankmates over in the corner where the nest was located.
They were pestering the chocolates and about 75% of the eggs had been removed. A little while later all of them were gone. It looked as if either the tankmates were eating the eggs or causing daddy to turn and eat the eggs.
The male chocolate did lip lock with the smaller female and gave her a few scrapes.
The other fish in the tank are Severums and Synplisums. Are either of them known to go after other fish's eggs?
They were pestering the chocolates and about 75% of the eggs had been removed. A little while later all of them were gone. It looked as if either the tankmates were eating the eggs or causing daddy to turn and eat the eggs.
The male chocolate did lip lock with the smaller female and gave her a few scrapes.
The other fish in the tank are Severums and Synplisums. Are either of them known to go after other fish's eggs?